The Department of Justice announced Friday they will expand the definition of “machine gun” to include bump stocks, effectively banning the devices, which increase a semi-automatic weapon’s rate-of-fire.
Sessions, who announced plans to ban bump stocks last month, called the proposed rule change a “critical step in our effort to reduce the threat of gun violence,” in a Friday statement.
“Since the day he took office, President Trump has had no higher priority than the safety of each and every American,” Sessions said. “After the senseless attack in Las Vegas, this proposed rule is a critical step in our effort to reduce the threat of gun violence that is in keeping with the Constitution and the laws passed by Congress.”
President Donald Trump preempted the announcement in a Friday afternoon tweet.
Obama Administration legalized bump stocks. BAD IDEA. As I promised, today the Department of Justice will issue the rule banning BUMP STOCKS with a mandated comment period. We will BAN all devices that turn legal weapons into illegal machine guns.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 23, 2018
Bump stocks were targeted for increased regulation after Stephen Paddock employed the device to kill 58 concert-goers in Las Vegas last year.
The announcement come one day before a scheduled nation-wide gun control protest; thousands are expected to march on Washington, D.C. and cities across the country to call for increased gun control regulations in response to the mass shooting that claimed 17 lives in Parkland, Fla. last month.